


Kindred Spirits

by DigitalThespian



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, Neglect, Role Reversal, Shitty Upbringing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:07:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21601927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DigitalThespian/pseuds/DigitalThespian
Summary: Sometimes, things change.Sometimes, that's for the better.
Relationships: Catra/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 89





	Kindred Spirits

**Author's Note:**

> Hey I'm alive have a thing

"How about you back the _fuck_ up?" The girl narrowed her eyes at Catra, who blanched.

"Oh! Uh. Sorry, I'll just—I'll just be over here, then—" Catra backed away, pointing awkwardly over her shoulder. Unfortunately, she had neglected to check if there was anything behind her, resulting in her crashing into the long banquet table that had been set up, nearly upending it along with everything on it.

"Ugh. Whatever. Just stay out of my way, got it?" The girl rolled her eyes and stormed off, leaving a rattled Catra and a furious Adora in her wake.

"Uh," Catra stared after her, watching the crowd part as they realized who was passing through.

"What the fuck is her damage?!" Adora had balled her hands into fists, trembling in indignation.

A girl with long blond hair looked over at Adora, then at the girl's retreating form, then back, incredulity clearly written on her face. "You don't know who that is? That's the daughter of the superintendent of schools; you know, rich, pretty, top of the social food chain?"

"That doesn't give her the right to be such a bitch!" Adora was fuming, and Catra could swear she could _hear_ her grinding her teeth.

"Adora, it's fine, really, let's just let it go, it's not a big deal," Catra's words didn't have quite the intended effect; now Adora's gaze was directed at her in astonishment.

"'It's not a big deal'? What happened to the Catra who wouldn't take shit from _anyone_? This isn't like you at all!" Adora's expression softened. "Are you okay?"

Catra reached out to grab Adora's wrist, leading her away from the bulk of the gathering to a more out of the way part of the grounds. "Catra, what's going on? Why are you acting so.. _meek_? We used to be the baddest bitches in town, and everyone knew it! Now we've moved and suddenly you're _backing off_?!"

Catra spun to face Adora once they were out of earshot, who stopped in her tracks. "Catra, are you _crying_?!"

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want to be like that anymore?" Catra's breath hitched as she spoke.

"What? What are you _talking_ about, this is who we _are_! We decided all those years ago that we were going to get out of that orphanage, and then we weren't going to let anyone push us around _ever again_!"

" _You_ decided that! I just went along with it because I didn't see another way! But now.."

"But _what._ " Adora crossed her arms with a steely expression. Catra didn't respond for a few moments, staring at the ground. "Well?"

"No one knows us here, Adora. We don't have to be the 'baddest bitches in town' if we don't want to be—" Catra didn't look up until Adora interrupted.

Adora threw her hands up in the air. "And then what? Be _nice_? You remember how well that worked out for us!"

" _Shut up and let me finish!_ " Adora took a half step back at Catra's outburst, then nodded.

"Alright; that's the Catra I know. Fine. Say your piece." Adora crossed her arms again, her expression clearly displeased, but no longer actively derisive.

"I don't want to live my whole life like this. We push people away, push people down, and for what? Sure, no one's willing to cross us, but no one is willing to to get close either." Catra looked away, deep in thought. "I don't want to hurt people anymore, I don't want to be defined by my cruelty!"

"So that's just it, then? You just going to roll over and take it?" Adora snorted. "I thought you had more backbone than that. I guess I was wrong." She turned to walk away.

"Adora, wait! What's gotten into you?" Catra reached out to Adora, but her hand slowly lowered when Adora turned back around with scorn in her eyes.

"What's gotten into me? _What's gotten into me?!_ I should be asking you that question! Whatever happened to 'we don't need anyone but each other'? We were a _team_ , Catra."

"Why are you acting like that's changed?! I don't want that to change! We—"

Adora interrupted. "Then why do you suddenly care more about the opinion of some stuck up rich girl then the opinion of someone who's had your back through everything? After everything we've been through, do you seriously think that I don't love you? You're like a sister— _closer_ than a sister. I'd do anything for you, and I thought you'd do anything for me. But if you're going to kowtow to some spoiled brat just to avoid a fight.."

Adora scowled. "How can I trust you to stand up for me if you won't stand up for yourself?"

"I can stand up for myself!"

"It sure doesn't look like it!"

"There's a difference between standing up for yourself and standing over someone else!"

"Oh yeah? What? Last time I checked, there's always someone standing at the top; I'm making sure it's me. You can come along if you want, or you can stay here in the dirt." Adora shrugged. "Your choice."

"Adora, _listen_ to yourself! When did we become so _cold_? When did we stop being the girls who laughed and danced and played in the garden?!"

" _When Weaver put an electric collar on **you** and locked **me** in the furnace closet!!_ Or have you somehow forgotten how much we suffered at the hands of people who had power over us? Have you forgotten the promise we made, that we would never let that happen again, that we would have each other's backs no matter what?"

"No! But we can have each other's backs without becoming exactly the kind of people who made us do this!"

There was a long silence, and the temperature seemed to drop twenty degrees. "..Are you saying that you think I'm like _**her**_?" Adora's voice was low and dangerous, and Catra realized her mistake.

"That's not what I meant, I just meant that—"

"Forget it. I'm leaving. If you change your mind.." Adora turned away again. "You know where to find me."

Catra watched in horror as Adora—her oldest friend—walked away. She sank to her knees, fisting her hands in her hair. "This isn't what I wanted.."

* * *

"Excuse me?" Catra flinched as the girl from the other day turned sharply to glare at her.

She held up her hands defensively. "I just saw you sitting by yourself, and wanted to see if you wanted company."

"Thanks but no thanks." She sneered. "I'm perfectly fine as it is, I don't need your _pity_."

Catra was suddenly struck by just how similar her attitude was to Adora's. Is this how everyone felt when _she_ was like this before..? "Sorry, I'll leave you alone then.."

She began to slink away, before she was stopped by a heavy, put-upon sigh. "Why are you here. And _don't_ fucking lie to me."

Catra thought for a moment. Why had she decided to come talk to this girl? She'd met her exactly once, and she'd been backed into a table for her trouble. Maybe.. she should just start from the beginning. "In my old town, if you'd said what you said the other day, the cleaning staff would have been picking your teeth off the ground."

The girl raising an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Ooh, you're so scary. I'm terrified. You sure showed me that fighting spirit when you practically stumbled over yourself to get out of the way." She turned back to her food, muttering to herself. "Just like everybody else.."

"The blond who was with me is my oldest friend. We grew up in an orphanage together, and we learned to fight to survive. But we're not living in that city anymore. This is a new place, a clean slate. I wanted to be someone different here." Catra sat down a few seats away as she spoke, staring at her food blankly.

The girl was quiet a moment, and Catra took this as a cue to continue. "Adora—the blonde—didn't like that. We argued. She walked away, saying that she couldn't trust me to stand up for her if I wasn't willing to stand up for myself—"

The girl interrupted. "What does this have to do with me?"

"I wanted to know why you do what you do. Everyone knows you, they all think you're queen of the castle. So why are you sitting here all alone? Why do you remind me so much of Adora?"

"None of your fucking business."

"That's fair."

The girl was taken aback. "That's it? No rebuttal? No indignance?"

Catra shrugged. "Why would you tell me? I'm a stranger to you, and even if I wasn't, I'm not entitled to your fucking life story. But you asked me to be honest, so I told you why I came over here. There's another part of me that blames you for my fight with Adora; but at the same time, I think I was.. drawn to you, I guess? Maybe it's the similarities to Adora, or myself. I dunno." She shrugged again. "I'm not all that great with all this emotion stuff."

There was another long silence before the girl spoke again. "An orphanage, huh? That's.. rough. My dad.. he died when I was really little, and ever since mom has been so consumed by her work that I basically grew up alone. So I can empathize. Most people.. they don't see past the rich girl. A big house is just more empty rooms when you're alone, but they just see the price tag."

"So why do you sit alone? Everyone I talk to says the same things, that you're rich and smart and pretty and that you're the most influential girl in school."

"How many of those people could tell you my favorite song? Favorite tea? Hell, even my favorite color. None. They don't care about anything other than _what_ I am, not _who_ I am. They don't see _me_ , they see my status. I'm sick of it. So I push them away. Better to be the one using others rather than letting them use you."

"Adora said something similar; someone is always going to be standing over someone, better to be the one at the top."

"And that's why you fought?"

"Yeah. I.. I want to be better than that. I want to _believe_ that I'm better than that, that _people_ are better than that."

The girl didn't answer for a long time.

Catra ate silently, and when she was finished, she stood to leave. "I know you probably won't believe me, that you think I'm just trying to get close to you for your status. But I really don't give two shits." The girl snorted, and Catra saw her crack a smile for the first time.

They weren't kidding; she really _was_ gorgeous. "You know, I never thought I'd find someone saying they don't give a shit to be reassuring."

"I'm just full of surprises, huh?"

"Something like that."

"What _is_ your favorite color?"

The girl finally turned, surprised. "..purple."

Catra held out a hand to shake. "I've always been a fan of red myself. My name's Catra."

The girl took it cautiously. "Glimmer. My name's Glimmer." She took her hand back to find a slip of paper with a number on it, along with a little doodle of a cat. "Really?"

"You don't gotta call or text or whatever, but I figured I'd offer. My flat's not very big—it's a studio, so it's actually just one room, but it's not an empty mansion. Come over some time. Or don't. I can't promise it'll be cozy, or homey, but it at least won't be lonely."

Glimmer smiled properly for the first time since they'd met, and Catra fought down a blush. She really was a good looking girl. "..yeah." She raised an eyebrow. "How do I know you're not trying to kidnap me or whatever?"

"Why wouldn't I have done it the other day? If you disappear in _my_ flat it'll be obvious it was me; if I was willing to go that far I'd have just grabbed you with Adora."

"I'm mildly alarmed that you had such a thought-out response ready."

"I've just got a knack for planning."

"I'm not sure if that's better."

Catra laughed. "I guess not, huh?" It felt good to laugh, and smile with someone. Maybe..

Maybe this wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

There was a knock at the door. Catra groaned and rolled off her loft mattress onto the floor, landing easily on all fours before picking herself up. She grabbed the first shirt she came across and hopped over to the door as she pulled on a pair of sweatpants.

The knock sounded again, and she groaned a second time. "I'm coming, goddamn!"

She threw the door open. " _What_?" She blinked as she registered that Glimmer was standing there with an unamused expression.

"Is this how you greet everyone?" She crossed her arms.

"Eheh, well, uh.. yeah, it used to be. Sorry, it's just kinda reflex. I also didn't really expect you to actually come." Catra scratched the back of her head sheepishly.

Glimmer's expression turned to one of.. amused confusion? Catra wasn't sure. "No one ever tells it straight like you do, they're always too focused on what they think I want to hear."

"Well, that's dumb. You're either going to like me or not, no sense fucking around and wasting my time trying to be something I'm not." Catra jumped slightly as she realized she was still standing in the doorway. "Oh! My bad, come on in."

She stepped out of the way, and Glimmer walked inside. "It's not much, but it's home."

"I like it."

Catra blushed. _What the hell? Why am I getting flustered just from her saying she likes my apartment?_

"Make yourself at home, I guess. What do you like to do?"

"I play a lot of video games, since I live alone; I know, not your usual rich girl fare."

"Well, you're in luck then, that's actually something I have. I've mostly just got fighting games—" Catra froze. Adora was gone. She had no one to play them with anymore.

"—Catra?" Glimmer was looking at her with concern.

"Oh! Sorry, I just.. I played them with Adora, and I hadn't thought about the fact that.."

"You don't have anyone to play with anymore."

"Yeah."

"Do you have any other games?"

"Only a few. We didn't really need any others, we weren't here much anyway."

Glimmer seemed to consider for a moment. "Well how about this; you teach me how to play fighting games, and I'll lend you one of my RPGs."

Catra raised an eyebrow with what she hoped was a teasing smile. "Only one? You holding out on me already?"

Glimmer raised an eyebrow of her own. "Do you really think you can play two games at the same time that have an average playthrough time of 100 hours?"

Catra's mouth hung open for a moment, before she shook herself out of it. "No, I don't. I always forget how long those games are. What's your first pick?"

"Pick a number from three to five."

"Huh?"

"Just humor me."

"Uh.. five, cause it's the biggest, I guess?"

Glimmer snorted. "As good a reason as any, I suppose. Alright; Persona 5 it is."

Catra furrowed her brow. "Wait, shouldn't I play the first four first?"

"They're mostly independent; you don't have to. I hope you like weird supernatural bullshit."

"You're doing a great job selling me on this, let me tell you."

"It's a Persona game; you've just gotta play it. They're really their own thing."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Well, I figured you'd prefer a harder game, but I can start you with something easier if you'd like..."

"..You're on."

* * *

"What the fuck how do you even _play_ this?!"

"Practice. Adora and I learned at the same time; you have the misfortune to be learning by playing against an experienced player."

"You could at least take it easy on me!"

"I am. You hit me twice last round."

"..You're fucking with me."

"Wanna bet?"

"Bring it."

Ten seconds passed, before the announcer called out again. " _K.O.! Perfect!_ "

"Holy shit. That was—how did you even _do_ that?!"

"Do you actually want me to answer that? 'Cause it's a lot of technical jargon—"

"How did you just stop in the middle of a special move like that?!"

"Okay yeah I wasn't gonna cover that for a while, but the short version is if you press these two buttons—the ones that make you do the armor attack—fast enough after starting a special you can cancel it, but it costs some of your meter. Half, to be exact. Then you dash forward out of it just like the normal one and keep going."

"You did it _twice_!"

"That's 'cause I had a full meter from last round."

"I will get good enough to not get absolutely destroyed, you mark my words! I'm not promising to beat you, because I'm not an idiot."

"A refreshing change, honestly. It's usually guys who are mad they got beat by a girl."

"Can you at least play a character you're not good at?"

"For the purposes of teaching you, no. I'm good enough in general that it doesn't really matter. Sure, I can only do _that_ with this character, but I only did it cause you asked. Wanna keep going, or take a break?"

"Break. I'm hungry anyway, let's go get something to eat."

"Deal."

* * *

"What on earth is even going on with this game? Why is that guy in a cape and a speedo?!"

Glimmer cackled in the background. "Oh, this is just the beginning. These games are all _so_ goddamn weird."

"Oh holy _shit_! Oh, damn, this song rocks!"

"Oh, yeah. The Awakening music is fantastic."

"I could _hear_ the capital letter there, does this happen more than once?!"

"Yeah, it happens.. six times? Seven, kinda, but one is sorta different."

"..okay I think I like this game. He just ripped the mask off his face; that's so fucking metal."

"Yeah, there's a lot of that. Wait till you get to the Awakening that happens in the second Palace."

"Palace?"

"Just keep playing, it'll give you the information you need to have. Mostly."

"Mostly?!"

"I mean, the time management part is way easier if you already know what needs to happen, but that's kinda part of the point. I can't explain it without ruining it."

"Alright, fine. At least his outfit is sweet—oh come on! It's gone? I just got it! Gimme my sweet clothes and magic powers back!"

Glimmer resumed her earlier cackling.

* * *

"Hey, you're a good storyteller, right?"

"Uh.. yeah?"

"Have you ever played Dungeons and Dragons?"

"I've never really thought about it. Why?"

"Well, you hit it off really well with Entrapta and Scorpia, and an old friend of mine just moved back into town—"

"Bow?"

Glimmer paused. "You remembered."

"Uh, yeah? It's not like you're my best friend at this school or anything."

"..Thanks, Catra. You're my best friend, too." There was a pause. "Just don't tell Bow."

* * *

There was a clatter as Catra gleefully rolled a handful of dice. "And you said rogues can't deal reliable damage."

Entrapta snorted. "She also didn't expect you to be the biggest munchkin in the universe."

"Hey, I'm not a munchkin! I'm not even short!"

Glimmer leaned over and stage whispered to Catra. "A munchkin is a player who builds really weirdly optimized characters. A more general term is "min-maxer".

"Oh. In that case, yes, I am absolutely a munchkin. Also that was 35 damage total."

"Oh yeah he's _super_ dead." Entrapta removed the miniature from the table. "Well, you did it. You guys got Catra in position to ambush him, and then she blew him up. In the fighting game term sense, not with explosives."

"Explosives were an _option_?!"

"Catra NO—" Glimmer began.

"Catra YES."

* * *

"So.." Glimmer didn't look away from the screen as she attempted to survive against Catra.

She failed.

"What's up?"

"My mom wants to meet you."

At this, Catra finally put the controller down. "What? Why?"

Glimmer shrugged. "I don't know, she just does. Something about making sure you're good enough for me or whatever."

"That makes it sound like she thinks we're dating."

"With how engaged she is with my life? Not implausible."

"In that case, what color are we wearing, _sweetheart_?" Catra smiled sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Oh, bite me."

_Don't tempt me._

* * *

"What are your intentions with my daughter?"

"I hang out with her so she isn't lonely, because you don't."

The silence was deafening. "I beg your pardon?"

Catra didn't look away. "You heard me. I saw someone who was suffering and that I could do something about it. I know what it's like to feel like it's just you against the world."

Angella scowled. "What could you _possibly_ know about loss to make you think you know my daughter better than me?"

"Are you familiar with the orphanage that was shut down because the matron put a shock collar on one of the kids, and locked another in a furnace closet?"

"What does _that_ have to do with this?"

Wordlessly, Catra pulled her collar away from her neck to reveal the parallel scars where the fur didn't grow anymore. Angella's eyes widened in horror. "Yeah. _I_ was that kid. Adora was the girl who got locked in the closet. I've personally lived more suffering than most will see in their entire lives."

"I—I didn't—"

"Save it. I don't care if you apologize to me. Apologize to Glimmer. _You_ lost your husband; she lost her _father_. She _needed_ you."

Catra's eyes were hard. "And you abandoned her. You may not see it that way, but it doesn't change that you retreated into your work, leaving her to fend for herself in a time where she needed you the most. So you'll have to forgive me if I'm not particularly willing to put up with you acting like you have her best interests in mind. If you'll excuse me, I have an engagement to keep; we have a weekly game with some of our friends."

* * *

Glimmer was uncharacteristically quiet; Catra knew she would talk about it if she wanted to. "Did you really chew my mom out?"

She laughed. "Oh yeah, she had it coming."

"Catra?"

"Yeah?"

"..Thanks. For everything."

"Of course, what are friends for?"

There was a pause that stretched slightly too long to be normal. "..yeah."

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's.."

"It's..?"

"No. It's not alright. I.. I'm.." Catra turned to face her completely.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"I know, but you're always so upfront and honest with me, but I'm not being honest with you, and after everything you've done for me it feels so wrong.."

"Want me to go first?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"I'm upfront, but I don't tell you everything."

"..what is it?"

"I think I'm falling in love with you."

Silence. _Did I judge this wrong..?_

"Catra?"

"Yeah?"

"..how do you do that? Just.. say things like that?"

"Like I said, you're either going to like me or you aren't. No sense pretending I'm something I'm not."

"I'm falling for you too. I wanted to say something, but I was too scared."

"I find it hard to believe that you could be scared of anything."

"You'd be surprised."

"I guess I am. Can I kiss you?"

"Gods, yes."

"Can I feel you up while I do it?"

"Don't push your luck, kitty cat."


End file.
